§ Mr. EvennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) which outer London health districts are self-sufficient in terms of maternity bed provision;
(2) how many maternity beds are available in each of the outer London health districts; and if he will express these figures in per capita terms.
§ Mrs. CurrieThe information requested is given in the table. Women do not necessarily have their babies in the home district but with medical advice choose the maternity unit which offers the type of care desired. Neonatal obstetric and medical factors also have bearing on the choice of maternity unit.
Average daily number of available beds in the maternity sector, NHS hospitals, outer London district health authorities, 1986 District Health Authority Average daily available beds 1 Resident female population (thousands) 15–44 year olds Available beds per 1,000 female population aged 15–44 Barnet 110 70.0 1.6 Harrow 100 44.6 2.2 Hillingdon 77 51.2 1.5 Hounslow and Spelthorne 110 62.4 1.8 Ealing 55 70.0 0.8 Brent 58 61.3 0.9 Barking, Havering and Brentwood 101 96.3 1.1 Enfield 89 58.5 1.5 Haringey 69 47.1 1.5 Redbridge 103 49.3 2.1 Waltham Forest 89 49.1 1.8 Bexley 83 49.2 1.7 Greenwich 90 49.3 1.8 Bromley 77 62.7 1.2 Croydon 64 72.5 0.9 Kingston and Esher 59 38.1 1.6 Richmond, Twickenham and Roehampton 35 51.7 0.7 Merton and Sutton 55 72.7 0.8 1 Mid year population estimate source, OPCS.